Freestanding Bathtubs Return To Popularity

It is often the case that an old style comes back into popularity, and this is certainly true when it comes to bathroom design, with the old-fashioned freestanding bathtubs now appearing in many bathrooms, fitted there by people who want to add a traditional look to the house, and maybe try to re-create some of the vintage luxury that could be achieved in the houses and bathrooms of the past. The good thing is that freestanding bathtubs no longer need to be in a purely vintage style, since there are now many bathtub manufacturers who are producing these tubs in modern styles, often taking their design ideas from places such as Japan, and designing tubs with square and clean lines, using materials such as chrome and steel. This article will look at the various types of freestanding bathtub that are available on today's market and what needs to be borne in mind when choosing a bathtub for your particular design.

Freestanding Clawfoot Tub

The freestanding bathtub is essentially a traditional type of bathtub design, and it is because of this reason that many of the modern freestanding bathtubs are also done in a vintage look. Many people are also decorating the bathroom in an antique style, especially that of the Victorian era, and so the new range of freestanding tubs is especially suited to this type of design, and hence is growing in popularity. The old roll top bathtub seemed to have gone completely out of fashion, but it has now had a resurgence of popularity, along with the claw foot tub and the traditional slipper tub.

However, although many of these traditional designs were originally done in cast-iron, which could be very heavy [a cast-iron bathtub really needs some good support in the bathroom] many of the modern freestanding bathtubs, even if done in a vintage style, are often made out of modern materials such as fiberglass and acrylic. These reproduction freestanding bathtubs give you all the design of the originals, and yet are extremely lightweight and also much easier to maintain. If you really do want to go for the traditional look, then maybe a porcelain freestanding bathtub may be your choice, but you need to remember that, as mentioned above, you will have to think about the weight of the bathtub, and you may also have to spend more time on maintenance and cleaning.

Square Freestanding Tubs

However, Victorian style freestanding tubs may not be to everybody's liking, and it is because of this that many bathtub manufacturers are now producing a range of freestanding tubs that have extremely modern designs, and which, unlike the claw foot tub which rested on feet, can be placed on a pedestal, often in the center of the bathroom. Some of these bathtubs are amazingly well designed, and come in a variety of shapes, including square, which looks very much like the old-fashioned bath house baths of long ago. Some of these tubs have tiled interiors, and although these models are very expensive they really do add a great element of style to a bathroom.

Of course, a freestanding bathtub will need to be plumbed in, and the plumbing needs to be thought about carefully since the pipe work will be very visible. For this reason when you come to choose the faucets for a freestanding tub you need to make sure that the design really does fit in with the bathtub and looks really great, otherwise you may end up spoiling the overall effect. This is especially true if you are going to fit a shower with your bathtub, because the last thing you want is to have a really nice tub but yet have plumbing and faucets which do not fit in.

When choosing a bathtub make sure that you get one which suits your style of bathing. The old-style freestanding clawfoot bathtubs were excellent for soaking, and if this is the type of bathing experience you want then it may be worth while looking at these types of models, since they allow you to lie back and the overall shape will fit the contours of your body. However, modern freestanding tubs although they offer you the chance of soaking may be a little less easy to lie back in.

As can be seen there are many considerations to be taken into account when choosing a freestanding bathtub, not least of which the overall style of your bathroom at how the tub will fit in to the declaration as a whole. Luckily, since there are now so many different types of design you are certain to be able to find one which will fit in to your overall decoration. Take time to research the various models on the market before making a choice, since choosing the wrong freestanding bathtub may be an expensive mistake if you have to replace it within a few months.